Life  Pidures  of  John  Calvin 


For  Young  and  Old 


BY 
James  I.  Good,  D.D.,  and  Geo.  W.  Richards,  D.D. 


PHILADELPHIA 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION 

1909 


Copyright,  1909,  by  The  Heidelberg  Pres^ 


Calvin  in  His  Study 


PREFACE 

Four  hundred  years  ago  John  Calvin  was  born.  His  birth  (July  10, 
1509)  will  be  commemorated  on  two  continents  by  churches,  states,  in- 
stitutions of  learning,  and  social  and  literary  organizations.  This  fact 
indicates  the  cosmopolitan  character  of  the  influence  of  his  life  and 
work.  He  belongs  to  a  small  group  of  epoch-making  men  in  the 
world's  history.  He  was  primarily  a  religious  reformer  and  a  theol- 
ogian, but  his  interpretation  of  Christianity  modified  also  the  civil 
and  social  life  of  the  nations  of  the  West.  Under  his  oversight  Geneva 
became  a  model  city,  which  John  Knox  called  "the  most  perfect  school 
of  Christ  that  ever  was  in  the  earth  since  the  days  of  the  apostles. ' ' 
Nearly  fifty  years  after  Calvin's  death  a  Lutheran  theologian,  Dr. 
Valentine  Andrea?,  came  to  Geneva  and  on  his  return  to  Germany  said: 
"There  is  in  that  place  not  only  the  perfect  institute  of  a  perfect  re- 
public, but  as  a  special  ornament,  a  moral  discipline,  which  makes 
weekly  investigations  into  the  conduct  and  even  the  smallest  transgres- 
sions of  the  citizens .  . .  All  cursing  and  swearing,  gambling,  luxury, 
strife,  hatred,  fraud,  etc.,  are  forbidden;  while  greater  sins  are  hardly 
heard  of." 

The  reconstructed  city  was  "a  church,  a  school,  and  a  fortress" — 
a  ' '  fertile  seed-plot  of  reform ' '  for  all  Europe.  The  nations  from  Scot- 
land to  Hungary  were  taught  by  men  trained  in  the  doctrine  and  dis- 
cipline of  Geneva.  Mr.  Bancroft  says:  "He  that  will  not  honor  the 
memory  of  Calvin  knows  but  little  of  the  origin  of  American  liberty." 
The  most  powerful  formative  factor  in  the  colonial  and  early  national 
periods  of  the  United  States  doubtless  was  puritanism  which  is  directly 
traceable  to  the  Genevan  Eeformer. 

He  was  by  nature  a  teacher,  his  retreats  were  turned  into  schools; 
even  as  a  student  he  was  more  of  a  "doctor  than  a  pupil."  He  was 
in  theory  and  practice  an  advocate  of  educational  religion.  His  text- 
book was  the  Bible,  which  he  made  the  basis  of  all  his  works — cate- 
chisms, church  ordinances,  commentaries,  Institutes,  and  tracts.  We 
shall  honor  his  memory  and  be  true  to  the  genius  of  the  Eeformed 
Churches,  if,  by  word  and  deed,  we  shall  advance  the  cause  of  efficient 
religious  education,  of  vital  piety  based  upon  a  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
and  of  true  freedom  in  the  recognition  of  divine  sovereignty.  Calvin 
has  a  message  even  for  the  twentieth  century.  He  is  not  merely  an 
echo  of  a  past  age;  the  present  generation  may  still  sit  with  profit  at 
the  feet  of  the  distinguished  man  of  God. 

This  tract,  for  use  in  home  and  school,  is  not  intended  to  be  a  schol- 
arly treatise  but  a  popular  presentation  of  Calvin's  life  and  works. 
It  is  put  in  the  form  of  a  compend  containing  a  biography,  a  collection 
of  extracts  from  his  writings  or  from  the  "Life  of  Calvin"  by  his  col- 
lea  srue,  Theodore  Beza,  and  pictures  of  interesting  places,  buildings,  and 
articles  relating    to  the  Reformer. 

3 


Calvin's  House,  Noyon 


The  Life  of  Calvin  for  young  people  is  an  interesting  sub- 
ject. The  first  picture  on  the  page  opposite  is  the  picture  of 
the  house  in  which  he  was  probably  born,  at  Noyon,  July  10, 
1509,  just  four  hundred  years  ago.  There  he  was  educated 
with  the  sons  of  the  noble  family  of  Montmor.  At  the  age 
of  twelve  he  was  made  chaplain  of  La  Gesine.  This  cost  him 
a  few  locks  of  hair,  for  as  he  presented  himself  to  the  Cath- 
olic Bishop  the  latter  cut  off  five  locks  of  hair ;  but  though  he 
lost  these  locks  he  gained  a  small  yearly  salary  which  greatly 
aided  him  in  his  education.  He  was  not  required  to  preach, 
only  to  serve  in  the  Church.  This  tonsure  was  the  only  ordi- 
nation he  ever  had.  Thus,  like  Samuel  of  old,  he  was  brought 
up  to  minister  in  the  temple. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  was  sent  to  Paris  to  study.  There 
he  so  excelled  in  study  as  to  be  rapidly  promoted  to  the  higher 
studies  of  Philosophy  and  Logic.  As  a  lad  he  was  quiet, 
serious  and  ready  to  rebuke  the  faults  of  his  companions,  who, 
unlike  him,  revelled  in  the  vices  of  that  gay  city.  They  nick- 
named him  "The  Accusative  Case"  because  he  so  frequently 
objected  to  their  manner  of  living.  He  was  ever  deeply  reli- 
gious and  true  to  the  Latin  motto  of  his  life  "Promptly  and 
Sincerely. ' '  He  is  a  fine  example  to  young  people  of  a  correct 
and  noble  school  life  even  when  surrounded  by  companions  of 
lower  moral  tone. 

Childhood. 

"But  as  he  (David)  was  taken  from  the  sheepfold,  and  ele- 
vated to  the  rank  of  supreme  authority ;  so  God  having  taken 
me  from  my  originally  obscure  and  humble  condition,  has 
reckoned  me  worthy  of  being  invested  with  the  honorable  of- 
fice of  a  preacher  of  the  gospel.  AYhen  I  was  yet  a  very  little 
boy,  my  father  had  destined  me  for  the  study  of  theology. 
But  afterwards,  when  he  considered  that  the  legal  profession 
commonly  raised  those  who  followed  it  to  wealth,  this  pros- 
pect induced  him  suddenly  to  change  his  purpose.  Thus  it 
came  to  pass  that  I  was  withdrawn  from  the  study  of  phil- 
osophy, and  was  put  to  the  study  of  law." — Commentary  on 
Psalms.    Author's  Pref.,  I.  p.  40. 

5 


The  next  year  he  went  to  Bourges,  a  memorial  of  his  stay 
being  the  stone  seat  in  the  picture  opposite. 
At  Bourges  he  continued  his  studies  in  law, 
and  the  bridge  in  the  picture  opposite  still  re- 
ft tains  his  name ;  perhaps  because  he  frequently 
walked  over  it  while  studying,  for  European 
students  frequently  study  while  walking.    He 
?=  published  his  first  book,  a   Commentary  on 
f&  Seneca's    Treatise    on    Clemency — that    old 
n.  Stoic  being  especially  attractive  to  so  serious 

Calvin's  stone  Seat  a  mmd  as  his-  ^e  was  becoming  a  Humanist, 
that  is,  a  classical  scholar — which  was  often 
the  half-way  step  toward  becoming  a  Protestant.  His  old 
biographers  claim  he  became  a  Protestant  under  Wolmar  at 
Orleans,  but  later  biographers  place  his  conversion  at  Paris, 
whither  he  went  from  Bourges.  He  was  so  brilliant  a  scholar 
in  these  universities  that  frequently  in  the  absence  of  the 
professor  he  would  deliver  the  lecture  in  his  place.  The  death 
of  his  father  while  at  Bourges  led  him  to  resume  his  studies 
for  the  ministry.  In  his  study  he  sets  a  fine  example  of  dili- 
gence and  conscientiousness  to  young  people. 


Calvin's  Bridge,  Bourses 

6 


EDUCATION. 

"  Having  set  out  for  Orleans  to  study  law,  Calvin  in  a 
short  time  made  such,  astonishing  progress,  that  he  very  often 
officiated  for  the  professors  and  was  considered  rather  a 
teacher  than  a  pupil.  On  his  departure  he  was  presented  with 
a  doctor's  degree,  free  of  expense  and  with  the  unanimous 
consent  of  all  the  professors,  as  a  return  for  the  services 
which  he  had  rendered  the  academy." — Beza's  "Life,"  p.  23. 

"Meanwhile,  however,  he  diligently  cultivated  the  study  of 
sacred  literature,  and  made  such  progress,  that  all  in  our 
city,  who  had  any  desire  to  become  acquainted  with  a  purer 
religion,  often  called  to  consult  him  and  were  greatly  struck 
both  with  his  learning  and  zeal." — idem,  p.  23. 

"The  Academy  of  Bourges  had,  at  that  time,  acquired 
great  celebrity  through  Andrew  Alciat  who  had  been  invited 
to  it  from  Italy.  Calvin  thought  it  right  to  study  under  him 
also.  He  accordingly  went  thither  and,  on  grounds  both  re- 
ligious and  literary,  formed  a  friendship  with  Melchior  Wol- 
mar,  a  German  from  Kothweil  and  professor  of  Greek.  On 
his  suggestion  and  with  his  assistance,  Calvin  learned  Greek." 
— idem,  p.  24. 

"While  engaged  in  his  studies,  Calvin  still  diligently  culti- 
vated sacred  literature  and  also  occasionally  preached  in 
Liniere,  a  village  near  Bourges,  in  the  presence,  and  with  the 
approbation,  of  its  proprietor." — idem,  p.  24. 


The  Palace  and  Sainte  Chapulle,  Paris 

"When  Calvin  came  to  Paris  he  found  the  city  full  of  dis- 
cussions on  religion.  Many  were  inclining  toward  Protestant- 
ism. These  liberal  Catholics  were  at  that  time  protected  by 
Queen  Margaret  of  Navarre,  who  lived  in  the  palace  (see  the 
picture),  located  on  an  island  in  the  Seine  River,  on  which 
the  chapel  is  still  standing — The  Sainte  Chapelle,  the  most 
beautiful  building  in  Paris.  Many  influences  led  Calvin  to- 
wards Protestantism, — his  father  and  brother  had  broken  with 
the  Catholic  Church,  his  cousin,  Olivetan,  was  already  a 
Protestant, — his  humanistic  studies  broadened  his  mind.  Thus 
Calvin  was  gradually  prepared  to  become  a  Protestant,  still 
he  says,  that  his  conversion  was  sudden  at  the  last.  "I  was 
so  obstinately  addicted  to  the  superstitions  of  the  Papacy  that 
by  a  sudden  conversion  God  subdued  and  reduced  my  heart 
to  docility." 

In  November,  1533,  his  friend  Cop  made  an  address  as 
rector  of  the  university  which  was  virtually  Protestant.  Cal- 
vin was  compelled  to  flee  from  Paris  because  he  was  supposed 
to  have  written  the  address. 


8 


"When  he  fled  from  Paris,  he  went  to  Noyon  where  he  re- 
signed his  boy  chaplaincy,  May,  1534.  The  persecution  at 
Paris  soon  lifted  and  he  returned  there,  but  feeling  still  in- 
secure he  went  to  Angouleme,  where  in  the  library  of  a  friend 
he  found  rest  and  employment.  By  May  he  was  at  Noyon, 
where  he  was  imprisoned  for  a  short  time  on  account  of  faith. 
After  another  brief  visit  to  Paris  he  went  to  Poictiers  and 
gathered  a  band  of  prominent  Reformed  adherents.  While 
there  they  decided  to  secretly  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper, 
which  they  did  in  a  cave  outside  of  the  city,  still  known  as 
Calvin's  Cave.  There  at  the  Lord's  Supper  they  bravely 
vowed  to  save  France  from  Catholicism.  It  was  a  noble  vow — 
a  fine  example  of  courage  for  Christ.  However,  he  soon  had 
to  flee  from  this  country  because  of  persecution  of  his  faith 
and  finally  found  a  refuge  at  Strassburg  in  Germany. 


John  Calvin  is  the  great  theologian  of  the  reformation.  Re- 
markable to  say,  his  great  work  was  published  when  he  was 
only  27  years  of  age — it  was  "The  Great  Theology  of  the 
Reformation."  While  at  Angouleme  he  had  used  his  friend's 
fine  library  and  had  applied  his  profound  mind,  his  legal 
training,  and  his  humanistic  scholarship,  to  the  doctrines  of 
the  Bible.  Now  he  published  the  matured  results  of  his  study. 
The  Catholics  had  hitherto  sneered  at  Protestantism,  that  it 
was  destructive,  not  constructive, — negative,  not  positive. 
Calvin  accepted  this  challenge  and  produced  a  book  to  show 
that  Protestantism  was  both  constructive  and  positive.  It 
was  wonderful  for  its  deep  insight  and  knowledge  in  the 
Scriptures,  its  clear  logic  and  its  quiet  comprehensiveness  of 
thought.  While  many  to-day  may  not  accept  his  views  on 
predestination,  yet  all  concede  his  ability  in  this  work.  It 
was  an  epoch-making  book.  This  book,  "The  Institutes  of 
Theology, ' '  was  published  in  the  house  of  the  publisher,  Plat- 
ter, seen  on  the  opposite  page.  As  a  commentator,  Calvin 
was  even  greater,  for  he  was  the  great  commentator  of  the 
reformation. 


House  of  Platter,  the  Publisher,  Basle 

10 


The  Institutes. 

"This  was  the  consideration  which  induced  me  to  publish 
my  Institute  of  the  Christian  Religion.  My  objects  were, 
first,  to  prove  that  these  reports  were  false  and  calumnious, 
and  thus  to  vindicate  my  brethren,  whose  death  was  precious 
in  the  sight  of  the  Lord ;  and  next,  that  as  the  same  cruelties 
might  very  soon  be  exercised  against  many  unhappy  indi- 
viduals, foreign  nations  might  be  touched  with  at  least  some 
compassion  towards  them  and  solicitude  about  them.  "When 
it  was  then  published,  it  was  not  that  copious  and  laboured 
work  that  it  now  is,  but  only  a  small  treatise  containing  a 
summary  of  the  principal  truths  of  the  Christian  religion ; 
and  it  was  published  with  no  other  design  than  that  men  might 
know  what  was  the  faith  held  by  those  whom  I  saw  basely 
and  wickedly  defamed  by  those  flagitious  and  perfidious  flat- 
terers."— Com.  on  Psas.,  p.  42. 

"But,  on  the  contrary,  if  your  ears  are  so  preoccupied  with 
the  whispers  of  the  malevolent,  as  to  leave  no  opportunity  for 
the  accused  to  speak  for  themselves,  and  if  those  outrageous 
furies  with  your  connivance,  continue  to  persecute  with  im- 
prisonments, scourges,  tortures,  confiscations,  and  flames,  we 
shall  indeed,  like  sheep  destined  to  the  slaughter,  be  reduced 
to  the  greatest  extremities.  Yet  shall  we  in  patience  possess 
our  souls,  and  wait  for  the  mighty  hand  of  the  Lord,  which 
undoubtedly  will  in  time  appear,  and  show  itself  armed  for 
the  deliverance  of  the  poor  from  their  affliction,  and  for  the 
punishment  of  their  despisers,  who  now  exult  in  such  se- 
curity."— Pref.  of  Institutes. 

Calvin  was  called  "the  Aristotle  of  the  Reformation" 
(Kampschulte),  and  "the  Thomas  Aquinas  of  Protestantism" 
(Martin);  his  Institutes,  "The  Koran  and  the  Talmud  of 
heresy"  (de  Raemond). 


11 


Calvin's  Cross  at  Aosta 


Calvin  was  singularly  bold  for  the  truth,  as  young  people 
ought  always  to  be.  He  bearded  the  lion  in  his  den  by  going 
from  Basle  to  Italy — that  is,  he  went  almost  into  the  hands 
of  the  Pope  by  so  doing.  But  he  had  heard  that  the  French 
Princess  Renee  of  Ferrara  was  inclined  to  Protestantism. 
But  the  Catholic  Church  was  beginning  to  set  the  awful  in- 
quisition at  work  to  crush  out  Protestantism  in  Italy,  so  Cal- 
vin could  not  stay  long.  But  his  brief  visit  was  not  fruitless, 
for  it  led  later  to  a  long  correspondence  between  the  Duchess 
Renee  and  himself,  in  which  he  became  her  spiritual  adviser. 
He  returned  to  France  over  the  St.  Bernard  Pass,  on  whose 
southern  side,  at  Aosta,  is  a  cross  still  called  Calvin's  Cross, 
which  stands  as  a  reminder  of  his  flight  from  Italy.  Whether 
he  preached  there  or  not  we  do  not  know.  He  left  a  few 
Protestants  in  Italy  soon  to  be  crushed  out  by  the  inquisi- 
tion. 

Affliction. 

"In  his  sufferings  he  often  groaned  like  David,  'I  was  si- 
lent, 0  Lord,  because  thou  didst  it ; '  I  have  also  heard  him  say, 
1  Thou,  0  Lord,  bruisest  me ;  but  it  is  enough  for  me  that  it  is 
thy  hand.'  "— Beza's  "life." 

"While  oppressed  with  so  many  diseases,  no  man  ever 
heard  him  utter  a  word  unbecoming  a  man  of  firmness  far 
less  unbecoming  a  Christian.  Only  raising  his  eyes  toward 
heaven,  he  would  say,  '0  Lord,  how  long?'  for  even  when  he 
was  in  health  this  was  an  expression  which  he  often  used  in 
reference  to  the  calamities  of  his  brethren,  which  night  and 
day  affected  him  much  more  than  his  own  sufferings." — idem. 

"I  can  say  as  to  myself,  that  I  have  been  assailed  on  all 
sides  and  have  scarcely  been  able  to  enjoy  repose  for  a  single 
moment,  but  have  always  had  to  sustain  some  conflict  either 
from  enemies  without  or  within  the  Church." — Com.  on  Psas., 
p.  44. 


13 


Here  we  come  to  one  of  the  most  dramatic  scenes  of  Re- 
formed Church  history.  Calvin,  after  a  brief  stay  in  France, 
was  on  his  way  to  Germany  to  study,  and  was  compelled  to 
pass  through  Geneva.  "William  Farel,  the  great  preacher  of 
the  Reformation,  had  been  preaching  at  Geneva  and  had  been 
praying  the  Lord  to  send  him  a  helper.  "When  he  heard  Cal- 
vin was  in  the  city.  July.  1536,  he  went  to  him  and  pled  with 
him  to  stay  and  aid  him  in  making  the  city  Protestant.  Cal- 
vin hesitated  on  account  of  his  modesty  and  from  a  sense  ot 
his  weakness.  He  objected  that  he  was  not  equal  to  so  great 
a  responsibility — and  besides,  he  wanted  to  study.  Farel 
reminded  him  how  God  had  punished  Jonah  for  disobeying 
a  call  of  duty,  but  Calvin  still  held  out.  Then  Farel,  with 
a  voice  of  thunder,  declared  that  God  would  curse  him  if  he 
refused.  Calvin,  trembling,  asked  for  time  to  consider  and 
pray  over  the  matter,  and  the  next  day  he  accepted  Farel's 
request  and  became  the  great  reformer  of  Geneva.  It  was 
the  great  decision  of  his  life.  Happy  is  the  one  who  meets 
the  great  decisive  moments  of  his  life  "as  Calvin  did  from  a 
high  sense  of  duty  and  in  the  fear  of  God. 

Geneva. 

"Upon  this  Farel.  who  burned  with  an  extraordinary  zeal 
to  advance  the  gospel,  immediately  strained  every  nerve  to 
detain  me.  And  after  having  learned  that  my  heart  was  set 
upon  devoting  myself  to  private  studies,  for  which  I  wished 
to  keep  myself  free  from  other  pursuits,  and  finding  that  he 
gained  nothing  by  entreaties,  he  proceeded  to  utter  an  impre- 
cation that  God  would  curse  my  retirement  and  the  tranquil- 
ity of  the  studies  which  I  sought,  if  I  should  withdraw  and 
refuse  to  give  assistance,  when  the  necessity  was  so  urgent. 
By  this  imprecation  I  was  so  stricken  with  terror,  that  I  de- 
sisted from  my  journey  which  I  had  undertaken." — Com.  on 
Psas.,  pp.  42,  43. 

Farel's  call:  "You  are  following  only  your  own  wishes, 
and  I  declare  in  the  name  of  God  Almighty,  that  if  you  do  not 
assist  us  in  this  work  of  the  Lord,  the  Lord  will  punish  you 
for  seeking  your  own  interest  rather  than  His."  Beza's 
"Life,"  p.  29. 

15 


The  Madeline,  Calvin's  Church  at  Strassburg: 

Strassburg. 

While  attending  the  Colloquy  at  Ratisbon,  April,  1541, 
where  he  was  sent  as  a  representative  from  Strassburg,  he 
wrote  a  letter  of  condolence  to  a  father  who  mourned  the  death 
of  his  son : 

"When  I  first  received  the  intelligence  of  the  death  of 
Claude  and  of  your  son  Louis,  I  was  so  utterly  overpowered 
that  for  many  days  I  was  fit  for  nothing  but  to  weep ;  and  al- 
though I  was  somehow  upheld  before  the  Lord  by  those  aids 
wherewith  He  sustains  our  souls  in  affliction,  yet  among  men 
I  was  almost  a  nonentity;  so  far  at  least  as  regards  my  dis- 

16 


charge  of  duty,  I  appeared  to  myself  quite  as  unfit  for  it  as  if  I 
had  been  half  dead."— Schaff's  Ch.  Hist.,  VII.,  421. 

"I  have  conflicts  (in  Strassburg),  severe  conflicts,  but  they 
are  a  good  school  for  me. " 

Two  years  after  Calvin  came  to  Geneva,  both  Farel  and 
himself  were  compelled  to  leave  the  city.  Farel  went  to 
Neuchatel,  and  Calvin  to  Strassburg,  where  he  became  pastor 
of  the  French  Church,  and  also  delivered  theological  lectures 
on  several  books  of  the  New  Testament.  Here  he  found  an 
excellent  wife  in  Idelette  Van  Buren.  He  also  revealed  abil- 
ity as  a  statesman  and  a  diplomat,  for  several  conferences 
were  held  at  that  time  between  the  Protestants  and  Catholics 
of  Germany.  In  this  he  strengthened  the  hands  of  the  Prot- 
estants greatly  by  his  sage  advice  and  firm  adherence  to 
Protestantism.  He  also  formed  a  very  warm,  personal  friend- 
ship with  Melancthon,  the  Lutheran  Reformer,  which  con- 
tinued until  the  death  of  the  latter,  in  spite  of  their  differ- 
ences on  predestination  and  cultus.  For  Calvin  was  a  fine  ex- 
ample of  friendship,  true  as  steel,  firm  as  a  rock,  and  faithful 
until  death. 

Calvin  was  recalled  to  Geneva  in  1541.  In  going  back  he  re- 
vealed a  beautiful  spirit  of  forgiveness,  although  he  had  de- 
clared that  "he  would  rather  endure  a  hundred  other  deaths 
than  the  cross  of  going  back. ' '  Yet  he  returned  to  Geneva  be- 
cause he  felt  it  was  the  will  of  God.  Calvin  here  sets  young 
people  an  example  of  devotion,  of  obedience  to  God's  will. 
He  began  to  thoroughly  reform  the  city,  and  remained  there 
until  his  death,  twenty-three  years  later.  In  all,  he  gave 
about  twenty-five  years  of  his  valuable  life  to  that  beautiful 
city.  Its  coat  of  arms  is  shown  in  the  picture  opposite  where 
a  man  in  armor  is  carrying  it.  Each  state  of  Switzerland  has 
its  coat  of  arms,  and  Geneva 's  is  peculiar  in  containing  a  key. 
The  Pope  might  have  the  keys  of  Peter  of  Rome,  but  Calvin 
made  Geneva  the  key  to  Protestantism,  and  the  capital  of 
Rome's  great  antagonist — the  Reformed  Church. 


17 


>i  C«<*t  quattttfurenttes' 
prutmcrs  poitrtat^  fc  ;• 
bftfhmscnlan«3airh 


t& 


B 


sJLi 


.p 


m  ci 


Coat  of  Arms  of    Geneva 


18 


"This  rather  is  the  solace  of  the  faithful  in  their  adversity, 
that  every  thing  which  they  endure  is  by  the  ordination  and 
command  of  God,  that  they  are  under  His  hand." 

"It  is  a  plain  matter,  that  we  cannot  come  boldly  before 
the  tribunal  of  God,  unless  we  are  certainly  persuaded  that 
He  is  our  Father;  and  this  cannot  be  without  our  being  re- 
garded as  righteous  in  His  sight.  Thus  we  are  precluded  from 
all  access  to  Him,  until  trusting  in  his  paternal  good  will 
we  can  without  hesitation  invoke  Him  as  our  Father/ ' — 
Tracts  III.,  p.  245. 

The  Church. 

' '  The  Church  into  which  none  is  admitted  but  those  who  by 
the  gift  of  adoption  are  sons  of  God  and  by  the  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  Spirit  true  members  of  Christ.  In  this  case  it  not 
only  comprehends  the  saints  who  dwell  on  the  earth,  but  all 
the  elect  who  have  existed  from  the  beginning  of  the  world. " 
—Inst.  Bk.  IV.  Ch.  1. 

"The  whole  body  of  mankind  scattered  throughout  the 
world,  who  profess  to  worship  one  God  and  Christ,  who  by 
baptism  are  initiated  into  the  faith,  by  partaking  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  profess  unity  in  true  doctrine  and  charity,  agree  in 
holding  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  observe  the  ministry  which 
Christ  has  appointed  for  the  preaching  of  it." — idem. 

"As  our  present  design  is  to  treat  of  the  visible  church,  we 
may  learn  from  the  title  of  Mother,  how  useful  and  even  neces- 
sary it  is  for  us  to  know  her ;  since  there  is  no  other  way  of  en- 
trance into  life,  unless  we  are  conceived  by  her,  born  of  her, 
nourished  at  her  breast,  and  continually  preserved  under  her 
care  and  government  till  we  are  divested  of  this  mortal  flesh 
and  become  'like  the  angels.'  " — idem. 


19 


Genevan  Costumes  in  Time  of  Calvin 


20 


Calvin  was  not  merely  a  theologian,  commentator,  and 
statesman,  but  a  great  moral  reformer.  He  introduced  laws 
into  Geneva  by  which  its  customs  and  fashions  were  regulated. 
On  the  opposite  page  is  a  picture  of  some  of  the  costumes  of 
the  people.  All  kinds  of  evils,  such  as  fortune-telling,  danc- 
ing, etc.,  were  severely  punished.  Religion  was  highly  honor- 
ed ;  for  those  making  a  noise  during  worship,  or  laughing  dur- 
ing preaching  were  punished.  These  severe  reforms  often 
led  to  opposition  and  derision.  He  was  nicknamed  Cain; 
dogs  were  named  after  him;  ballads  ridiculed  him;  and  pla- 
cards were  posted  against  him.  But  like  a  true  reformer  he 
went  on  boldly,  even  at  the  risk  of  his  life  at  times.  He 
teaches  the  young  people  a  fine  lesson  of  moral  courage.  Under 
him,  Geneva  became  the  model  city  of  its  day,  exciting  the 
praise  of  even  his  enemies. 

The  Cathedral  of  Geneva,  called  St.  Peters,- was  the  church 
in  which  Calvin  generally  preached.  It  is  a  beautiful  build- 
ing of  Romanesque  architecture,  although  the  addition  at  the 
front  is  of  Corinthian  architecture.  It  was  begun  in  the  10th 
century.  This  church  has  become  a  sort  of  Westminster 
Abbey  to  the  Reformed ;  here  the  great  dead  are  buried.  Here 
is  the  tomb  of  the  great  Hugenot  General,  Duke  Henry  of 
Rohan,  a  black  marble  sarcophagus  with  his  statue  in  a  sit- 
ting position.  In  this  church,  too,  is  a  tablet  to  another  great 
Hugenot  leader,  driven  like  the  Duke  of  Rohan  from  France 
for  his  faith.  These  tombs  testified  to  the  great  influence  of 
the  Reformed  faith  preached  by  Calvin  in  this  church,  which 
led  many  of  the  noblest  sons  of  France  to  become  the  follow- 
ers of,  and  to  sacrifice  everything  for,  his  doctrines. 


21 


Cathedral  of  St.  Peter,  Geneva,  in  1735 

The  interior  of  St.  Peter's  Cathedral  is  more  impressive  at 
present  than  the  exterior.  It  is  exquisitely  beautiful  in  its 
architecture,  the  carving  of  its  woodwork,  and  especially  in 
its  chapel  of  Maccabees.  In  the  church  is  the  pulpit  from 
which  Calvin  preached,  and  they  also  show  the  chair  in  which 
it  is  said  he  sat.  That  pulpit  was  his  throne  where  he  fear- 
lessly proclaimed  the  truth  of  God.  Beneath  the  pulpit  was 
placed  the  communion  table,  where  on  one  occasion,  when  un- 
worthy communicants  pressed  forward  to  the  table,  he  placed 
his  hand  over  the  sacred  elements  to  prevent  them  from  being 
taken  forcibly  by  the  unworthy. 


22 


Calvin's  Pulpit,  Geneva 


Calvin's  Chair  still  at  Geneva 


Minister. 

"During  the  week  lie  preached  every  alternate,  and  lectured 
every  third,  day;  on  Thursday  he  met  with  the  Presbytery, 
and  on  Friday  attended  the  ordinary  Scripture  meeting  called 
'The  Congregation.'  where  he  had  his  full  share  of  duty." — 
Beza's  "Life."  p.  39. 

"The  Lord  so  blessed  his  ministry,  that  persons  flocked  from 
all  parts  of  the  Christian  world,  some  to  take  his  advice  in 
matters  of  religion  and  others  to  hear  him. ' ' — idem. 

"I  have  endeavored,  both  in  my  sermons  and  also  in  my 
writings  and  commentaries,  to  preach  His  TVord  purely  and 
chastily.  and  faithfully  to  interpret  His  sacred  Scriptures." 
— idem. 

Conversion. 

"And  first,  since  I  was  too  obstinately  devoted  to  the  su- 
perstitions of  Popery  to  be  easily  extricated  from  so  profound 
an  abyss  of  mire,  God  by  a  sudden  conversion  subdued  and 
brought  my  mind  to  a  teachable  frame,  which  was  more  har- 
dened in  such  matters  than  might  have  been  expected  from 
one  at  my  early  period  of  life." — Com.  on  Psas..  p.  40. 

"About  this  time,  Calvin  renouncing  all  other  studies,  de- 
voted himself  to  God.  to  the  great  delight  of  all  the  pious  who 
were  then  holding  secret  meetings  in  Paris." — Beza's  "Life," 
p.  24. 

The  Sacraments. 

"The  nature  of  a  Sacrament  is  to  exhibit  an  invisible  truth 
under  a  visible  sign." 

"The  meaning  is,  not  that  we  are  to  think  an  empty  sym- 
bol is  offered  to  us,  but  that  if  we  wish  to  receive  Christ  as 
He  is  truly  given  to  us,  we  must  raise  our  hearts  upwards." 

"For  they  (children)  do  not  become  sons  of  God  through 
baptism ;  but  because,  in  virtue  of  the  promise,  they  are  heirs 
to  adoption,  therefore  the  Church  admits  them  to  baptism." 

"These  children  of  believers  dying  unbaptized  are  not  de- 
prived of  salvation  on  that  account." 

"The  gift  of  adoption  is  prior  to  baptism.  .  .Baptism,  how- 
ever, is  a  confirmation  of  this  gift  and  a  help  to  our  faith." — 
Tracts,  I.,  p.  74. 

25 


28 


Calvin,  like  the  reformers  of  the  Reformed  Church,  was  a 
firm  believer  in  education,  especially  of  the  ministry.  For 
a  long  time  he  greatly  desired  that  Geneva  should  have  a 
school  for  this  purpose.  It  was  finally  founded  in  1558,  with 
the  learned  and  cultured  Beza,  Calvin's  successor  as  a  re- 
former, as  its  principal.  At  the  time  of  Calvin's  death  it 
had  1,500  students  from  all  parts  of  Protestant  Europe.  It 
became  the  mother  of  Reformed  Theological  Seminaries,  es- 
pecially of  the  French  Church.  Out  of  it  grew  the  present 
University  at  Geneva.  The  old  building  is  still  in  existence, 
having  the  motto  over  the  doorway  in  Latin — Post  Tenebras 
Lux  (after  darkness  light) — that  is,  after  the  darkness  of  sin 
and  of  Romanism,  comes  the  light  of  the  gospel  and  of  the 
reformation. 

Teacher. 

"  All  who  had  any  desire  after  purer  doctrines  were  con- 
tinually coming  to  me  to  learn,  although  I  myself  was  as  yet 

but  a  mere  novice  and  tyro All  my  retreats  were  like 

public  schools." — Com.  on  Psas.,  p.  41. 

"But  since  one  cannot  profit  by  such  studies  (theological) 
unless  he  be  first  instructed  in  languages  and  human  sciences, 
and  since  also  there  is  need  of  preserving  the  seed  for  the 
future  in  order  that  the  Church  may  not  be  left  naked  to  our 
children,  it  will  be  necessary  to  organize  a  college  for  instruct- 
ing the  children  in  order  to  prepare  them  for  both  the  ministry 
and  the  civil  government." — Ecclesiastical  Ordinances  of 
1541. 

"We  advising  and  entreating  him  that  while  sick  he  should 
desist  from  all  fatigue  of  dictating,  or  at  least  of  writing, — 
'TVhat,'  he  would  say,  'would  you  have  the  Lord  to  find  me 
idle.'  "— Beza 's  " Life,"  p.  34. 

Labors. 

"He  also  wrote  most  learned  commentaries  on  the  books 
of  Scripture,  besides  answering  the  enemies  of  religion,  and 
maintaining  an  extensive  correspondence  on  matters  of  im- 
portance. Any  one  who  reads  these  attentively  will  be  aston- 
ished how  one  man  could  be  fit  for  labors  so  numerous  and 
so  great."— Beza 's  "Life,"  p.  39. 

29 


Calvin  at  Study 


Above  all  things  Calvin  was  a  student,  and  this  beautiful 
picture  of  Calvin  in  his  study  reveals  an  important  phase  of 
his  life.  It  was  his  studies  that  made  him  the  great  scholar, 
theologian,  commentator  and  statesman  that  he  was.  In  his 
boyhood  he  excelled  in  study.  This,  the  pleasantest  of  por- 
traits of  Calvin,  reveals  him  as  studying  his  Bible.  The  study 
of  the  Scriptures  made  him  great.  They  will  do  this  for  any 
young  person,  or  for  any  old  person,  too.  His  studies  resulted 
in  many  books.  Some  of  them  as  his  commentaries  still  re- 
tain a  front  rank,  because  of  his  fine  scholarship  and  wise 
judgment  in  the  handling  of  the  Scripture  texts. 

We  come  to  the  end  of  this  great  man's  life.  He  died  May 
27,  1564,  aged  55.  Never  very  strong  physically,  two  months 
of  severe  illness  made  him  cry  out,  "Oh,  Lord,  how  long!" 
He  gathered  the  ministers  of  Geneva  to  his  death-bed  and 
asked  their  pardon  for  his  faults  (for  he  had  a  high  temper, 
and,  too,  his  peculiarly  nervous  build,  and  frequent  ill  health 
often  produced  irritability).  His  request  for  their  forgiveness 
is  a  beautiful  act  in  his  life,  and  also  added  to  it  on  his 
death-bed  a  beautiful  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures, 
for  he  wrote  to  his  twin-reformer,  Farel,  "It  is  enough  that 
I  live  and  die  unto  Christ,  who  is  gain  to  those  who  are  His 
in  life  and  death."  He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus  on  the  eve  of  the 
Sabbath  and  went  to  spend  an  eternal  Sabbath  with  his  Lord 
in  Heaven. 

Death. 

"I  have  no  other  defense  or  refuge  for  salvation  than  His 
gratuitous  adoption,  on  which  alone  my  salvation  depends. 
With  my  whole  soul  I  embrace  the  mercy  which  He  has  exer- 
cised towards  me  through  Jesus  Christ,  atoning  for  my  sins 
through  the  merits  of  His  death  and  passion,  that  in  this 
way  He  might  satisfy  for  all  my  crimes  and  faults,  and  blot 
them  from  His  remembrance." — From  his  "Last  Will  and 
Testament,"  in  Beza's  "Life,"  p.  86. 

"I  wish  that,  after  my  departure  out  of  this  life,  my  body 
be  committed  to  the  earth  (after  the  form  and  manner  which 
is  used  in  the  city),  till  the  day  of  a  happy  resurrection  ar- 
rive."— idem. 

"That  night  and  the  following  day  there  was  a  general 
lamentation  throughout  the  city — the  whole  State  regretting 
its  wisest  citizen — the  Church  deploring  the  departure  of  its 
faithful  pastor — the  academy  grieving  at  being  deprived  of 
so  great  a  teacher,  and  all  lamenting  the  loss  of  one  who  was. 
under  God,  a  common  parent  and  protector, n- — Beza's  * -Life" 
p.  96. 

33 


Calvin,  with  his  usual  modesty,  asked  that  no  grave  stone 
should  mark  his  resting  place,  but  there  is  a  grave  stone  in 
the  cemetery  beside  the  river  Rhone,  at  Geneva,  marked  "J 
C,"  which,  according  to  tradition,  is  said  to  mark  the  place 
of  his  grave.  But  though  he  has  no  monument  over  his  grave, 
the  city  of  Geneva  is  to-day  his  monument,  for  she  owes  her 
present  prosperity  to  the  foundations  that  he  laid.  And  the 
Reformed  and  Presbyterian  churches,  that  have  sprung  from 
the  work  of  Zwingli  and  himself,  that  are  now  found  in  every 
part  of  the  globe,  and  number  about  twenty -five  million  ad- 
herents, are  a  far  grander  and  more  enduring  monument  to 
his  memory  than  any  of  bronze  or  marble.  Calvin  is  the 
founder  of  republics,  as  well  as  of  churches.  And  this  year 
these  churches  and  nations  rise  up  to  do  honor  to  his  memory. 
The  memory  of  the  just  is  blest. 

Burial. 

"He  was  buried  in  the  common  cemetery  at  Plein  Palais, 
with  no  extraordinary  pomp,  and,  as  he  had  commanded,  with- 
out any  grave-stone." 

Beza  closes  his  "Life  of  Calvin''  with  the  following  testi- 
mony: "Having  been  a  spectator  of  his  conduct  for  sixteen 
years,  I  have  given  a  faithful  account  both  of  his  life  and  his 
death,  and  I  can  now  declare  that  in  him  all  men  may  see  a 
most  beautiful  example  of  the  Christian  character,  an  example 
which  it  is  as  easy  to  slander  as  it  is  difficult  to  imitate. ' ' 

Church  Union. 
Calvin  to  Cranmer  (Geneva,  about  April,  1552)  : 

"As  far  as  I  am  concerned,  if  I  can  be  of  any  service  I 
shall  not  shrink  from  crossing  ten  seas,  if  need  be,  for  that 
object.  If  the  rendering  a  helping  hand  to  the  kingdom  of 
England  were  the  only  point  at  issue,  that  of  itself  would  be 
a  sufficient  motive  for  me.  But  now,  when  the  object  sought 
after  is  an  agreement  of  learned  men,  gravely  considered  and 
well  framed  according  to  the  standard  of  Scriptures,  by  which 
churches  that  would  otherwise  be  far  separated  from  each 
other  may  be  made  to  unite ;  I  do  not  consider  it  right  for  me 
to  shrink  from  any  labors  or  difficulties. ' ' — Original  Letters, 
1537-1558,  II.,  p.  713, 

32 


